Motor-vehicle.



R. B. MORTON.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

[N VE NT OR WITNESSES Wald/514 B. B. MORTON.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION man 001x191;

Patentad Nov. 30, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IV]Y'YVESSES R. B. MORTON.

' MOTOR VEHICLE.

1 APPLICATION FiLED OCT 1, 1912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES [NVENTOR Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

RUDOLPH B. MORTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

.MOTOB-VEHICLE.

License.

Specification ,of Letters Pa tent.

Patented Nor. 321 191 Application filed October 1, 1912. Serial No.723,451.

of such vehicles generally known as traction engine", although notlimited in this particular.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide. a motor vehiclehaving four driving wheels so arranged as to materially increase theetliciency of the machine and offcct a reduction in the weight usuallyrequired in motor vehicles. and particularly those utilized for tractionengine purposes.

A further object is to provide improved means by which power is appliedto each and all of the traction wheels.

A further object is to provide improved means for applying the drivingpower directly to the axles on which the wheels are mountedso thateither or both axles may swing or turn in steering without bringingundue strains upon the driving mechanism, and to provide a high groundclearance.

further object is to provide means for permitting the wheels toacconmiodate themselves to inequalities in the ground over which thevehicle is traveling and without bringing torsional strains on the driveshaft or tending to throw the latter out of alinemeat. I

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a plan view of a motorvehicle constructed inaccordancc with my invention. F i g. 2 is a sideview thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating one ofthe axles and its adjuncts. Fig. it is a detail front elevationillustrating one of the sub-frames. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectionalview illus trating the means for supporting the drive shaft.

Referring to the drawings. the main frame of my improved motor vehiclemay be of any suitable or preferred construction. The same isillustrated as made up of longitudinal side bars 11., preferably formedof channel iron. and united near their ends by plates 12. said side barsbeing sufliciently braced in any suitable manner. The engine 13 islocated at the forward end of the frame and the cab H, to be occupied bythe operator, is at the rear end of the frame. The engine is connectedby a suitable clutch 15 with the engine shaft 16 mounted to rotate in atransmission case 17 supported by the side bars of the frame. Theshift-able gears '18 of a change speed meehamsm, are mounted upon theengine shaft and are adapted to mesh with gears 19 on a transmissionshaft 20. The clutclrlo and the change speed mechanism may be of anypreferred construction, the clutch illustrated being operated by a crank21 pivotally mounted on the main frame. and connected by a rod to anoperating lever 23 pivotally supported in a position to be convenientlyreached by the operator within the cab. The shiftable change speed gears18 are also illustrated as being operated through suitable connectionsby a hand lever 2% located conveniently with respect to the operatorsposition within the cab.

The traction wheels 41 may be of any preferred type and each providedwith a hub 4-2 secured to an axle section 4-3 of the front and rearaxles 4-3, 43 respectively. Each axle formed of two of such axlesections l3. meeting at their inner ends. Each axle section providedwith a longitudinal bore through which is passed a rod 45 having nuts-16 on its ends. said nuts Serving to prevent separation of the axlesections, and also to resist the end thrust of the differential gearingsustained on the axle sections. To the inner end of each axle section4:3 of the front and rear axles respectively, is rigidly secured a bevelgear +17, the bevel gears of the sections of each axle facing each otherand forming opposite members of a dilfer ential gearing. llach bevelgear 17 is provided with a hub portion 48, the hub portions of the twoadjacent bevel gears serving as a journal for a worm gear 19 whichcarries the planetary pinions meshing with the gears 47, and cooperatingwith the latter to complete the differential gearing. Each axle section43 is inclosed within a tube or sleeve 51, the inner ends of each Sleevebeing secured within collars 52, the outer ends of said sleevesextending to the hubs of the wheels 41. and being provided with bands 5%to working down into the moving parts. In order to reduce the friction,suitable roller prevent sand and grit from and bearings 56 are providedbetween the axle sections and the sleeves 51.

The main frame is connected to the front and rear axles by means oftrucks. The rear truck comprises a sub-frame formed of end sections ($3,63 united by rods (H. and supporting arms 65, extending from gearinclosiug members (36 carried by the collars 52 and'provided withsockets adapted to receive said vertical rods, whereby said subframe issupported. The rods (31' are provided with annular shoulders (38 adaptedto bear upon the upper surfaces of the sockets of arms (55, wherebyrelative movement of the rods and the supporting frame or yoke isprevented, and the weight of the main frame and. sub-frame is supportedby the said Slhl'HXN'tlUg frame or yoke. The end section U3 of saidsub-frame is provided with an overhanging portion (39 which is pivotallyconnected to the plate 12 of the main frame by Inca is of a bolt 70,forming a turn table construction, antifriction balls or rollers beinginterposed between said end member (33 and said plate 1'2. The endsection (3- of the rear truck is provided with a depending lug having apivotal engagement with the rear end of a radiusybrace 71, the forwardend of which is secured to the bottom of 39 which incloses the gearing.In the front truck the collars carried by the :lt'orward axle are alsoprovided with gear inc-losing members (36' connected with a platepivoted to the foiwvard plate 12 of the main frame by means of a bolt TOthe forward end of said plate 6!) being supported by a bracket 72carried by the main fran'ie and provided with a lip upon which saidforward end rests. It will be noted that the pivot points 70, arelocated between the axles l3, l3 and in line with the longitudinaln'iedian line of the frame.

Depeiuling from the plate (35) are two bracketbearings T3 provided withsleeves ti which receive thrust iaiarings in which is retatablysupported a shaft 77 The rear subframe is also provided with anoverhanging rti (3!) having brackets 73 in which is mounted a driveshaft 75'. Each drive shaft 75, f5 13f ivided with a worm 76 meshingwith the contiguous worm gear 4-9. The shafts To, 75 are each connectedwith opposite ends of the transmission shaft 20 by flexibleconnectionseach comprising a short shaft it? connected at one end by a universaljoint 78 with the adjacent end. of the shaft 20, the other end of theshaft 77 being connected by a universal joint 78 with the cor respimdingend of the shaft 75. The univera: l joints T8 are in line with therespective pivot ho ts 70. '70, so that in steering the machine. thefront and rear axles swing with their respective trucks, withoutexcessive strains on the driving shaft, and the perfect and smoothdriving of each axle irrespective of its angle with relation to the mainframe is accomplished. The shaft 20 also has a telescoping connectionwith one member of each universal joint T8.

My improved motor vehicle may be steered in various ways. In thedrawings, 1 have disclosed steering mechanism comprising a rotatabledrum 81. mounted in suitable bearings carried by the box or case 39,said drum being provided with a worm gear 82 engaged by a worm shaft 83extending up into the cab of the engine, and provided with a hand wheelSt for convenient manipulation. Secured to each truck are two oppositesegments 85, 85' which swing about the axes of the pivots of the trucks,respectively. Two steering chains 89, 89 are employed and diagonallycrossed, with the ends of each chain attached to opposite segments 85and opposite segments 85, respectively, said chains each engaging, thedrum 81, one being passed over the top and the other beneath said drum.The arrangement is such that the chains cross each other at the point 90in advance of the drum '81, in such manner that they will be free frominterference of each other as the positions of the axles change. Byoperating the worm shaft 83 the drum S1 is actuatedin one direction orthe other, as may be desired, causing the ends of the two axles on oneside of the machine, to swing simultaneously toward each other, therebychanging the course of the machine, which may be effected in a comparatively small space. It will be observed that the segments 35, 85' areso afranged that a pulling action exerted upon one side of either of thesteering segments 85, 85 will swing both trucksupon their respectivepivots.

In operation; tireengine is started in the usual manner and when thedesired speed gears have been thrown into mesh by manipulation of thelever 23, the clutch is thrown into engagement through manipulation ofthe lever 21. The result of these n'uinipulations is to impart movementto theltransmission shaft 20, and through said shaft the worm gears 49are r .ated. The connections of the worm gears 42) with the axlesthrough the differential gearings effects rotation of the tractionwheels 41. Thus it will be seen that power is positively applied to eachof the traction wheels which is of particular advantage especially intraveling over plowed fields, loose and sandy soils, or in. mud. It willbe further noted that by ar'anging the engine main shaft and thetransmission shaft longi udinally of the machine, and mounting the mainframe upon trucks which in turn are carried by the axles, the engine isprotected from transverse strains. Consequently its life will bematerially lengthened, and the vehicle may be operated in placesheretofore considered inaccessible or undesirable because of theinjuries likely to result from such strams.

, Should one wheel on either axle stand higher than the other, owing toinequalities in the ground over which the vehicle is traveling, thetruck will swing or pivot around the sleeves T4 of the forward truck,thereby talcing up the strains, and relieving the drive shaft of alltorsion and tendency to bind so that said shaft will rotate freely atall times.

It will be noted that while I have shown and described my invention asbeing particularly applicable for a machine of the type commonly knownas a traction engine, I do not desire'to limit myself in thisparticular, as my invention may also be used as a motor truck. or anautomobile, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described anoperative man ner of constructing and using the same, although withoutattempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or allof the forms of its use, what I claim is:-

1. A motor vehicle comprising a body, axles, wheels-supporting saidaxles, a truck comprising rigid members supported by one of said axles,a bearing member connected to said body and provided with dependingbearings, a drive shaft mounted in said bearings and connecting saidrigid members and said body, means operated by said shaft for drivingthe contiguous axle, means for actuating said drive shaft. and means forconnecting the other axle with said body.

2'. A motor vehicle comprising, a body, axles, wheels supporting saidaxles, a truck col'nprising; rigid members supported by one ofsaidaxles. a bearing member connectedto said body and provided withdepending bearings, a 'drive shaft mounted in said bearings andconnecting said rigid members and said body, means operated by saidshaft for driving the contiguous axle, a transmission shaft, means forflexibly connecting said transmission shaft and said drive shaft, andmeans for connecting the other axle with the body. 1

3. A motor vehicle comprising a body, axles, wheels supporting saidaxles, a truckpivoted to said body and provided with depending membersoverhanging one of said axles, a drive shaft supported in said bean ingsand operatively connected with one of said axles, means to actuatingsaid drive shaft, and means for connecting the other axle to the body.

4. A motor vehicle comprising a body, axles, wheels supporting saidaxles, a truck pivoted to said body and provided with de pendingbearings overhanging one of said axles. a drive shaft supported in oneof said bearings and operatively connected with said axle, means forpivotally connecting the axle to the drive shaft to permit the axle toswing: laterally around the drive shaft as an axis. and means forconnecting the other axle to said body.

A, motor vehicle comprising a body, axles, wheels supporting said axles,a truck supported by one of said axles, bearing members carried by saidtruck, a drive shaft rotatably supported by said bearing members andoperatively connected with said axle, a member supported :by said axleand pivotally connected with said bearing; members, and means forconnecting the other axle to said body.

6. A motor vehicle comprising a body, axles, wheels supporting saidaxles, a truck supported by one of said axles, bearing members supportedby said truck and provided with annular extensions, a drive shaftrotatably mounted in saidbearing members and operatively connected withsaid axle, a member supported by said axle and mounted to swing on saidannular extensions, and means for connecting the other axle to saidbody.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

RUDOLPH B. MORTON. Witnesses Josnrn D. ERRICA, J. B. HOLMDEN.

